ID contest at California Crops Center

The California Crop Center at the World Ag Expo is expanding in its second year as it shares the story of California agriculture, and educates the public and growers on the latest developments in farming some of the 350 crops grown in the state of California. The center will again feature special grower panels and luncheon speakers throughout the three days of the World Ag Expo.

The California Crop Center is a special pavilion, located adjacent to Pavilion C, along Median Street, between S and T Streets, on the east end of the World Ag Expo show grounds.

A challenging new feature at the center will be the “We Believe in Growing” crop identification contest. The educational contest will focus on the entrant's knowledge of crops and crop productions within the state of California. The contest is open to all entrants in four divisions:

Growers, farm operation personnel and PCAs.

Collegiate.

Future Farmers of America (FFA).

4-H and Grange Youth.

The top prize for the Growers' division is a Trimble AgGPS EZ-STEER System. Second prize will receive Miller Electric's new Millermatic DVI All-In-One MIG Welder.

The California Crop Center will cover more space this year to accommodate added activities, including panels of California's top growers discussing their plans for 2006-07 cropping strategies; featured luncheon speakers each day sharing innovations and opportunities in California agriculture. The California Crop Center will also provide visitors with access to a library of information on California crop production, hosted by the UC Cooperative Extension Service.

Prism Business Media and its Farm Press publications is a major sponsor of the center.

A John Deere Buck EXT-All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) will be given away at the end of the three days of activities within the 2006 California Crop Center.